Just hours ago, the 10th edition of the Game Awards 2024 wrapped up in Los Angeles, marking another annual celebration in the city. The ceremony took place between 1:30 AM and 5:00 AM French time, crowning Astro Bot as the Game of the Year 2024. Nicolas Doucet, the game’s director, was visibly moved as he accepted the trophy, an emotional highlight accompanied by his heartfelt speech. Yet, beyond the accolades, the Game Awards are a platform for numerous announcements and World Premieres, and this year’s lineup was exceptionally generous. Among the various reveals was the announcement of Naughty Dog’s new project, led by Neil Druckmann. Titled Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, this sci-fi themed game is crafted specifically for the PS5. Anticipation was expected, excitement was anticipated, but in the recent hours, response has been far from what was envisioned. The game is facing heavy criticism and receiving dislikes on YouTube. What exactly is transpiring here? Let’s delve deeper…
It has been four heartfelt years since we last heard from Naughty Dog, with their previous title, The Last of Us Part 2, launching in 2020 on the PS4 during the height of global lockdowns. There’s little need to rehash the greatness of this masterpiece—it’s evident that Naughty Dog ranks among the world’s premier gaming studios. So naturally, the announcement of a new game left us breathless. Speculations had been swirling for days regarding Naughty Dog’s participation in the Game Awards, and these whispers proved true. It was at the evening’s climax that the studio unveiled its latest game—and even more, its new franchise, marking its fifth after Crash Bandicoot, Jak & Daxter, Uncharted, and The Last of Us. The name? Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. As anticipated, the narrative unfolds in space on perilous planets lying at the galaxy’s fringe—a distinct departure from the terrain charted by the creators of Uncharted and The Last of Us.
80’S VIBES
For now, Naughty Dog is keeping much of the storyline under wraps—understandably so—but we do know that Intergalactic centers around Jordan A. Mun, a bounty hunter portrayed by Tati Gabrielle. She finds herself stranded on Sempiria, a remote planet shrouded in mystery and cut off from the universe for centuries. Many have ventured there to uncover its forgotten past, but none have returned. Jordan must employ her skills and acumen to become the first to break free from the planet’s orbit in over 600 years. That’s the story’s premise. Naughty Dog explicates that the game builds upon the studio’s longstanding traditions of crafting emotionally epic journeys grounded in character development. While the narrative bears significant weight, gameplay remains the studio’s primary focus, enhanced by expertise garnered over recent years. Tati Gabrielle, previously seen in the film Uncharted as Jo Braddock—a less successful version of Nadine Ross—and slated to appear in 2025 as Jade in Mortal Kombat 2 and Nora in HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, takes on the role of Jordan. Clearly, Tati has firmly entered the Naughty Dog family.
Joining her is Kumail Nanjiani, recognized from roles in The Eternals, the latest Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, though little is known about his character. He often portrays laid-back, comedic roles, a request frequently made of him in film. Yet, perhaps Neil Druckmann will surprise us with an unexpected character arc. What we do know is that Neil Druckmann announced that the music for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. The game has been in development since 2020, specifically designed for the PS5, but no release date has been confirmed at this time.
BETWEEN DISLIKES AND ZERO HYPE…
By rights, this should be a celebration: a new game from Naughty Dog, the introduction of a fresh franchise after so long. But since its announcement just hours ago, the opposite reaction has unfolded. Social media platforms reveal a lack of enthusiasm, even among loyal fans of the studio. Many express disappointment with the sci-fi theme, believing it doesn’t align with the studio’s traditional essence, while others describe it as a seemingly redundant concept. There are comments suggesting that without the Naughty Dog logo, the game’s announcement might already have slipped into obscurity. Observing audience reactions during the Game Awards reveals a muted buzz compared to the studio’s previous unveilings. The signature ‘wow’ factor that Naughty Dog typically delivers feels less palpable. Yet, it’s too early for definitive conclusions, and the studio’s craftsmanship remains promising. Although the excitement isn’t at its zenith, let’s not discount the potential, as this is a creation from Naughty Dog, steered by Neil Druckmann and Kurt Margenau as Game Directors, who have previously showcased their prowess.
Worse still, a glance beneath the video on the channels of both Naughty Dog and PlayStation on YouTube offers a sobering sight. On PlayStation’s channel, there are 27,000 dislikes compared to 24,000 likes, while on Naughty Dog’s channel, 20,000 dislikes overshadow 19,000 likes and the Game Awards’ own channel shows 3,000 dislikes against merely 1,100 likes. The outcry is evident, and dissatisfaction is rife to the extent that Naughty Dog disabled comments on their YouTube channel, though this was not mirrored elsewhere. The audience remains unconvinced, with overt product placements for Porsche and Adidas exacerbating dissatisfaction among a highly discerning audience… And as we navigate the ongoing woke vs. anti-woke discourse, you can envision the charged exchanges, with voices alleging the studio’s entanglement in DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) issues—a scenario similar to the backlash faced during The Last of Us 2’s release. Some argue that the studio is pushing too hard, with character designs eerily reminiscent of Lev from The Last of Us 2—a transgender character—with the unisex name Jordan hinting at certain implications…
At present, things appear less than ideal for Intergalactic, with considerable hurdles to overcome to win over gamers. However, knowing Naughty Dog’s expertise, skill, and pedigree, at Jeuxactu, we’re confident in expecting a quality experience, particularly in terms of storytelling, gameplay, and surprises. True, the buzz isn’t at fever pitch, and the ‘wow’ factor remains elusive (for now), but let’s not write off the game prematurely. It’s important to remember that this is a project by Naughty Dog, under the creative vision of Neil Druckmann and Kurt Margenau, both highly talented and proven visionaries in their field…
